By ANDREW McCLURE
Valentino welcomes the challenge. "Any time you have a good team, you want to play strong competition," he said. "This gives us an opportunity to compete with some of the best teams."
Floral Park, Great Neck North and Lawrence are expected to challenge the Rams for the top spot in the conference. Only the league champion secures a playoff berth.
Valentino must replace an exceptional middle infield and retool a pitching staff that had an earned run average of slightly over 1.00 a year ago. Returning to anchor the staff is Matt Metz, who earned All-County and conference Player of the Year honors. Metz brings it in the mid 80s and mixes in the breaking ball very well. When he's not on the mound, Metz, who hit .390 as a junior, will play the outfield or DH.
Brian DiGiovanni is a more than capable number two starter. While he doesn't possess an overpowering fastball, DiGiovanni is around the plate and always keeps the team in the game. The senior right hander plays first base when he's not pitching. Junior C.J. Davis, and sophomores Greg Cesere and Jason Arasmo will all see time on the mound. Davis seems to have the best shot at locking up the third spot in the rotation.
Behind the plate, senior Dom Alongi returns for the Rams. Alongi, who threw out three would-be base stealers in last year's playoff loss to Clarke, has a very strong arm and works well with the pitching staff.
Senior third baseman Mike Angelone, an All-Conference recipient in 2008, hit .395 as a junior and has a good glove at the hot corner. The new middle infield is composed of senior second baseman Raul Ruiz and junior shortstop Roberto Reyes. Reyes, who played as a sophomore, has good pop in his bat and will hit in the middle of the order.
Junior Anthony Misiano, who was solid both at the plate and in the field as a sophomore, will play left field and bat leadoff. With Davis in center and Arasmo in right, the Rams should be pretty strong in the outfield.
The Rams began 2009 with a victory over Carle Place and followed with losses to East Rockaway and Division. Metz struck out 10 in seven innings and went 2-for-4 with a solo homer in the loss to East Rockaway.
Valentino expects the strength at the front of the Rams rotation and the team's ability to play small ball to enable them to make a run to repeat as conference champs. "The goal is clearly to win the league and make the playoffs," said Valentino, who is assisted by Al Christenson. "It's tough to replace the guys we lost, but we'll contend."
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